Full-day event equips ag communicators with tools and strategies to excel in a rapidly evolving media landscape.
By Wyatt Bechtel, ACN Fall Workshop Committee co-chair
The Agricultural Communicators Network (ACN) is excited to announce its Fall Workshop, “More Action, Less Distraction,” in Kansas City, Mo., at Farm Journal on Nov. 17 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This full-day event is designed for agricultural communicators seeking to adapt to the rapidly evolving ag media landscape.
Attendees will experience hands-on sessions focused on leveraging the latest tools in writing, photography, and audience engagement to thrive in today’s fast-paced, distracted world. Sessions include:
· A writing session led by Kevin Draper, agriculture correspondent for The New York Times, covering agribusinesses, farmers, goods, and government policy. Before his current role, Draper worked as a sports reporter.
· “Why You Should Give a DAM,” led by Sam Craft with PhotoShelter, will cover the fundamentals of organizing, archiving, and distributing your visual assets.
· “The Attention Formula,” led by Alyssa Walsh with Sweet Briar Creative, will cover understanding your audience, stronger hooks, visuals, storytelling, and messaging that earns attention.
· “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of AI” is a panel discussion moderated by Tyne Morgan from U.S. Farm Report. The panel will discuss ethical use, moral questions, and legal implications generative AI poses for our industry’s future. The panel features:
o Dr. Christy Goldsmith, University of Missouri
o Alyssa Walsh, Sweet Briar Creative
o Chelsea Good, Good and Associates
Members of other ag communications organizations — ARC, IFAJ, LPC, NAAJ, NAFB and NAMA — qualify for the ACN member rate, and students qualify for the student rate. Email agcommnetwork@gmail.com to request a code and for membership verification. The registration deadline is Nov. 10. If you cannot attend in person, you can attend virtually via Zoom for a reduced rate. If you are not a member of any of those organizations, you can join ACN within 30 days of the workshop and receive $100 off in-person registration or $50 off virtual.
Farm Journal will host the event at its headquarters at 125 Southwest Blvd, Kansas City, MO 64108. If you arrive early, AdFarm will host a happy hour on Nov. 16 from 6-7 p.m. for another chance to get together. You can reserve a room at Home2 Suites Kansas City Downtown, 2001 Main St, Kansas City, MO 64108. Book your hotel reservation by Oct. 30 to secure a rate of $150 per night.
Following the ACN Fall Workshop, attendees are encouraged to attend the National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) Convention just down the road at the Westin Kansas City at Crown Center from Nov. 18-20.
– Bechtel is a freelance journalist with Bechtel Media.